“Take full account of the excellencies which you possess, and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not.” — Marcus Aurelius

We are in week four of our "slow down with stills" class. The prompts each week are unique and exciting, with a conversation from Christina. She makes us think deeply about things that might happen on any ordinary day. Then the ordinary becomes extraordinary. So it was this week for me.

The Art of Gratitude...showcase something in your everyday life that you are grateful for and wish to give it more attention. I have so much in my life to be grateful for. Good people, warm house, travel, laughter and tears. All come together to make for gratefulness. I think I give these examples plenty of attention. So much sometimes that I forget about the many bookcases, just jammed with wonderful books that I am grateful for. Just to look at them brings me so much joy...and sometimes as I'm passing, I'll pull a book out of the bookcase and read the back cover once again, telling myself that soon I will come and gather up that book and take it to the couch, make tea, and grab my snuggly and dive it. I don't seem to do it as often as I would like.

I am so grateful to have such an abundance of words to roam through. Pages to turn. I can transport myself to most any country I choose, just by flipping the text from one page to another. I can relieve stress, find joy, meet new friends between the covers of that book. Sometimes if it has a beautiful cover, I can just stare at it and it takes me away...books have always been my release from real life. I can go to a beach full of people, set up my chair, put on my dark glasses and my floppy hat and crack the cover and once I start reading, I'm the only one on that beach...Sadly though, even though I read something everyday, I don't give this "love" enough of my time.

My son is also a reader, avid I might say. We had a talk recently and he told me he allows himself an hour in the morning and an hour at night for pleasure reading. He also said "Mom you love to read, why is it you don't allow yourself more time." I've been thinking about that. So I started in January to do what he does on those days when I don't have to be somewhere early. I read for as long as possible, it might not be an hour but it's better than nothing and I always read at night. I have two books going at one time. One is a novel or a biography, the other is either technical or spiritual. I'm finding that works for me right now.

Gratitude requires us to pay attention. I find I am grateful for so many things and since adding my love of books to my list of things to enjoy each day, I'm feeling much better. So many books, so little time...I cannot imagine a house without books...It is good to acknowledge how grateful I am for each one of them. I know I'll never be able to read them all but I'm thankful that just walking by them makes me happy.

What are you grateful for in your everyday life that you want to pay more attention to. Write it down somewhere and then make it happen...

Reader Comments (12)

Cheryl, Your attitude and word words soothed my spirit today. I have signed up for Christina's class, too and while I can't get to the assignments just now, I'm so enjoying seeing the beautiful work of my friends like you. Your son is right - why do we not allow us to read when it gives us such comfort? Perhaps you are like me, and grew up learning that we should get our work done first and then engage in our leisure pastimes. But this is not always a wise strategy. Affording ourselves the time to enjoy books only serves to make us kinder and wiser, and I do agree this should come first!

Oh Donna you are so right...I was brought up the same as you. The problem with that theory is, there is always something that needs doing. I had a birthday yesterday...not one I'm fond of, and I just realized, if not now, when. So I'll keep the house sanitary so they don't take my dog away but more me time going forward. It;s a complete turn around to have one of your children give you permission to live joyously when your Mother told you to do your jobs...I'm listening to him now. Thank you so much for your words and understanding..

It does take a long time to "take care of business" Liz. Yes, you will feel better when everything is over and you finally get your life back. I hope you have something on the back burner that you can't wait to get to.. Thanks so much for stopping by...

I haven't yet done this prompt...so far coming up with one thing to be grateful for hasn't hit me. But books!! What a wonderful part of life to be grateful for, and for so many good reasons. I remember loving to go into the library when I was young, or old for that matter. The smell was always the same, no matter which library. I love seeing the tall stacks of books, and the old card catalog is just the neatest thing ever. When I was a Sophomore in H.S. I worked in the library. It would be a luxury to spent unlimited time reading....relaxing...and enjoy the escape into the literary world. I hope you take lots of reading with you on your trip!! xx

Thank you Beverly. You remind me of the smell of the library from so many years ago. I would have loved to have worked in a library. I think you also are a reader. Your interest leans more to research and learning. It's all good. For me, it's more about giving myself permission to read and understand how grateful I am for the gifts of books.

Hi Cheryl!I loved reading your post about your love of books and all the things you wrote about books resonate with me... Like you I can't imagine a house without books! And like you I think it's comfortable to know that there's another book on the bookshelf waiting for the moment I finish the one I'm reading.... There has been always tons of books at home when I was young and I'll never thank my parents enough for this love they pass to their 7 children... not only for the books themselves though my father loved to buy beautiful collections covered with leather in auction sales, but mostly for the love for words and beautifulluy written texts, love for poetry and novel, for literature and history, for the opening of mind they offer, for the dreams they spark, for the knowledge they bring ... and I'm grateful to my parents for this and today I wouldn't be able to end any day, even if very late, without opening my bedside book and reading between 30 to 60 minutes... and besides the pleasure of reading a good novel, t's also for me the best way to slide smoothly into my night sleep...

I haven't done any of these lessons, for me it was enough to just read her thoughts. I might do it one day and it is in the back of my head. Your thoughts here are much the same as me as a child and somehow those thoughts and practices stay with you when you are grown and old. I have many things to be grateful for one is photography that has brought you into my life.

There is an old jewish saying "Make books your companions; let your bookshelves be your gardens: bask in their beauty, gather their fruit, pluck their roses, take their spices and myrrh. And when your soul be weary, change from garden to garden, and from prospect to prospect." I share your love of books and can't imagine a home without them. And I love your little "reading friend"!

When my heart is full of gratitude the day just works out better and my list of things to be grateful for grows. :) I can't imagine a house without books either. I learn and travel without leaving my house. I usually have two books going at the same time too, one fiction and one nonfiction. I usually read with my kindle. I miss the feel of a book in my hands at times, but love that I can bring so many with me wherever I am.

I so get your love of books! And I'm so pleased that you enjoyed "Ove"! As you know, we're on solar power now so I'm not online as much on my computer, which I much prefer to the iPad, so I'm reading so much more! What pleasure. What richness. And thank you again for that beautiful poetry!